Sheet-conveyer.



A. J., FREEMAN.

SHEET GONVEYBR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1913. RENEWED 00T. 19, 1914.

@wanted Mar. 30, w15.

:TSHEETSFBHEET l.

INVENTOR ORNEY A. J. FREEMAN.

SHEET GONVEYER.

APPLIOATION 21mm JULY 15,1913. RBNBWM) 00119, 191:1.

2 SHEETBBHEET '2.

VITNESSES:

SHEET-CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3d, 19115.

Application filed July 15, 1913, Serial o. 779,121. Renewed October 19, 1914. Serial No. 867,533.

To all 'LU/0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. FREEMAN. a citizen of the United States, residing at Petaluma, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Conveyers, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a sheet carrier or conveyer, and particularly pertains` to an apparatus for delivering sheet material, such as paper and the like, one sheet at a time, to a printing or other apparatus.

It is the object of this invention to pro vide a mechanism which is particularly adapted for use in connection with photo printing machines, such as shown in Patent No. 1,036,212, issued to me August 20, 191:2, and which apparatus is so constructed as to pick up ,and remove a single sheet from a stack and deposit it in a printing position.

Another object is to provide an automatic mechanism of the above character in. which the positioning of the sheet to be printed will be rendered accurate and eXact, so that each consecutive sheet will be printed uniformly'.

further object is to provide a simple and efficient means for picking up and discharging the sheets, one at a time.

The invention primarily resides in a pump-operated suction cup carried on a swinging arm and mechanism controlling the movement of the arm and operation of the suction cup, whereby the latter will be caused to pick up a sheet of material when the arm is in one position and hold the sheet while the arm is in motion, then release the' sheet when the' arm is in another position.

The invention further consists of the parts .and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of the invention in side elevation with parts broken away, showing the carrier arm disposed in the delivering position in full lines, and in its receiving position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section and elevation of the suction cup on the line (zA-a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail plan View of the pivoted end portion of the carrier arm. Fig. 5 is a detail in plan of the outer end of the carrier arm, illustrating the positioning of the suction cup in picking up a sheet. Fig. (i is a view in diagram of the cam employed in actuating the carrier arm.

' 1n the drawings represents a carrier or conveyer arm which is pivoted at 2 to a yoke 3, swiveled on a pivot pin l; the arm being thus adapted to. have a horizontal or rocking outward movement on the pimt and a vertical movement on the pivot pin l. ln the present application of the invention l have shown the invention as adapted to operate in relation to a vertical wall B in which the pivot pin -lis mounted, but it will be manifest that the device will operate on either an inclined or fiat surface. The arm A is normally maintained in an innermost position approximately parallel with the'face of the partition B by meansl of a torsion spring 5, one end of which is rigidly secured to the swiveled yoke 3. while the other end is engaged with the arm A, as particularly shown in Fig. l.

Mounted on the outer end of the arm A is a bracket G which extends inwardlyv toward the wall B and is attached to the arm A by means of a bolt 7 and nut 8; the bracket 6 being adapted to be adjusted at various angles in relation to the arm by means of the bolt 7 and nut 8.

Pivotally mounted at 9 on the outer end of the bracket 6 is a block 10 in which a tubular stem 11 is adjustably mounted. The stem 11 terminates at one end a short distance from the .block 10 and has a suction cup 12 formed of suitable resilient material mounted thereon; a perforation 13 being formed centrally of the suction cup 12 to provide a communication between the inner face of the cup 12 and the interior of the tubular stem 11. The outer port-ion of theA stem 11 terminates adjacent to the arm )t and connects with a iiexible tube 14 which is supported by the arm A and leads to and terminates in the lower end of a verticall vdisposed cylinder 15.

Reciproeally mounted in the cylinder 15 is a. piston 16 on a piston rod 17, which cxtends upward from the cylinder 15 and has a lateral projection 18 adjacent to its upper end, which projection is engaged by a vertically-disposed disk cam 19, mounted ou a revoluble shaft 20, supported. in suitable bearings in the wall B, and adapted to he rotated continuously from any suitablev source of power. The piston 16 is designed to be moved in an upward direction by the end rigidly attached :it 22 to :1 rigid support aind its other end Vconnecting `with thc piston rod 1T operates to normally muintin the piston rod 1T in its lowerlnost position land serves Ato niove the piston rod 17 on its doivn'stroke v"when it is relieved from the upii'zird throv of the 'com 19.

M'oiintcd on the `shiift 20, in front of the com 19. is i cani for oper'ting the` cnrrier 'zirnfi A. T he 'caini ".23, 'of the groove typo and is sdpte'cl to rock theA iii-ni horizontally 'in conjunction with the spring 5 :ind to intlepeiulentliy swing furi'n i in n Verticl direction. The groove '2l of the cziin 3 is 'iiri'zingcd on its i'eitifciil face :ind is slib,- Siimtiuy pyiifohii in optimisant-1 11iranged eccentric t-'o the shzit't 20. pin or projeo 4tion Aon the y1i-ni -i extendst into the 'com ;Irooi'efli :ind is norinully held `in 'onga'genient therewith h v neiins `of :the spring 5. The iii'n '25 is forined "with ii 'shoiilder 26 ixhich beiirs on lth 'onter edges of the groove 24. which 'are so shapedzis to rock the :irni A lon the pivot Q when the Icani is rotted'. Th'e i'oiitolir l`ol,the ffice of the caiih 23 illiistri'rtd in Fig. 6. ndcompris' s 'a lo'wor storting point., b connectingi'it van inclined portion c 4sind termineting in en ele'vzi't'd poi-tion rl, ending in i1. depressed lovipo'rtion c', frofiii ivhi'oh in 'oiltivziifdly inclined portion 'f lends and terminates in "si izi'ise'fcl` port-ion y. si'lbstzintially onffil plaine with the rziised portion d; the portion ig terlninziting in :in inwardly portion h,

lending brick to fthe str'tin'g portion o. i lii'otzil liv connected o the oiiter end of sie Siem 11 is f1 link 2?-, .whisk lirmluy 'extends zipiiroxiinzitely parallel the it in 'i-hi espia-piedini 30110 the yki '3.

platte spring 3l inoiiiited 'on theyoliie bezirs against nie; will fm naissent is its hier ien-d 'and norni ly retains ythe lzitterin n inneruost lposition ngaiinstgi stop-pin 32 onthe yoke 3. The S11-'ring 31 is f gunnen ienysion to 4oerc'o:ne 'the friction of the pivot v9. The. pivot-'al co nne'itii"n '28 of the link so disposed in relation to the pivot Q on the nrn'i A tln1't `o ri the oiitfwnrd :ind inii'lrfd inoi'e`1'i'i`ex`it`s Aof ,the 'rni A, tire stem 11 begro-cked on the pivots thstgthe @'jp 1 2 m11 uml 1is sbsintiuys u dus une 'i 'right ingles is the false `=of negative sf pints F, time@ i111 fijn ajustable sbb-ipi freine G, nihted on zthe llirti'tion B, and

to the stack of sheets C on the rack D. The outer end of the :trui '129 is bent nt right ungles to extend valongside of the link 27 and is foi-ined with u lug haring a set screw mounted therein; the stem of the set screw 3l being disposed in alinement with the oiiter side of the linl: 11nd ladapted to be moved toward and nwzr'v froin tho link :2T b v tlirning it in its threaded bearings. The end ofthe set screw 31 is designed to be spaced o short distance from the link 27; as shown in Fig. l, the distzince sepaitiiig the set soi'ew froin the link being `vziri'ed as occnsi'on may require.

In ythe y oper"tion of 'the invention when the :irin A is in its ,lower-most position', 11s

indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the siictioii c'np 12 Willbe disposed iii 'cont-Liet with :i sheet of instel-inl of :iny desired clinriioter, indicated fat C, which is carried in i shitzible :idjlis'table .ruck D, inoiinted ori the {Yiill B: 1 stack of she'etSMCof nyy desired ninnb'er being disposed in the yi'arc'l D, :ind tei`nporrily `heldin Vnhice therein by ni'elns of spring-pressed fingers E i'vhi'ch entend inf Win-diy ii short fdistziiice over 'the edges of the sheets C. When the infin A is thiis positioed, the piston 1G "will be disposed in its lowermost oosition in the cylinder 1.1f in lwhich 'position it is inziiiitined by 4the diction 'of the spring 21'. Onthe initi'zil rotation tot shift 20 'tl `1e 19 -`will oper-ite on the projection 18 in slich iiifnnfer iis to 1elizite tire pistonfifd 1 7 in opposition 1 -0 the Spring `21', thereby inovig the piston 1G in sin iipwii'rd direction in the cylinder 15. `This notion sei- Ves to draw the ii fi'oin the, inner .side of the sii'ction ouf) Whibh Vlies in cite estasi with Sheet "C, thereby 'enfting 'setioh @diciem to ix the sheet C to the c1j1p 1'2. D111`-11gthisgbfeiioiiis een es wir bess dispsed niet the 'pi e5 will by@ dis-bussum per 'on f the simi groom 21, erringen aaneen c with his Si-irn 20, so 1 @vgl 116mm riiy 1pm-ainsi@- pick op a sheet L", the cm Q3 onrotting will mjvje sa is it snags inseam ffice C to engge the fslioul'dei -oon the `pin 25 'and in'ov'e 'the oii'ter end of the arto A sin loutiviiid direction, c'rrjing the sheet 'C therewith, the limer being lifted ont sf sngge- 'nient with the spring-pressed iingeis E Awhich operte vto 'engage the sheet ininie'di- 11i-sly behind the ma@ being removed, ,is pre- -vent niore thn 'one sheet being picked iip by the @up 12 the igime. Continued mit-, non ff 'the cana -23 will arise the im .-1 to fr'ioed iipirrd vvsiriult'afneofsljv' lWith Eits 'otwid llliiiet, iid when the Sh'l'llder 26 rides over the raised cam face ai, into the depressed portion e, the arm A will be disposed in its uppermost and innermost position, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1. ('n theinward movement of the arm A in its uppermost position the stem 11 will be rocked on its pivot 9 by the use of the link 2T in such manner as to dispose the suction cup 12 and the sheet thereon parallel .vith the negative or plate l", so that the sheet C will be carried flat against the plate F.

When the sheet C has been placed against the plate F and engaged by a mechanism,

not necessary to be here shown, the cam 19 will be so disposed as to allow the spring 21 to `quickly restorey the piston 16 to its normal lowermost position, thereby breaking the suction of the cup 12 and causing the latter to release the sheet C. The cam face f onthe cam 23 will then operate to move the Y arm' A outwardly, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3; the suction cup 12 moving away a short distance from the sheetfC, parallel therewith, by reason of the link 27 rocking on the pivot' 28. The moment the link 27 contacts the set screw 34: its rocking movement on the pivot 28 will be prevented, and the continued outward movement of the outer end of the arm A will cause the link 27 to rock the arm 29 on the pivot 30 in opposition to the spring 31, thus disposing the stem 11 infan inclined position. The shoulder 26 on the pin 25, on riding over the portions g and it of the cam 23, will allow the spring 5 to operate to restore the arm A to its lower, innermost position; the suction cup 12 moving into contact with a sheet C at an angle, as shown in Fig. 5. The flexible nature of the suction cup 12 permits its inner face being moved into contact with the surface of the sheet C, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, so that when the piston 16 is again reciprocated in an upward direction the suction cup 12 will be caused to annex another sheet C. This flexure of the suction cup 12 is important, as it compensates for the fact that the cup is not at all times parallel with the sheets C in the rack D, or the plate F. The rocking of the stem 11 on the pivot 9 compensates for the varying thickness of the stack of sheets C and the arcual movement of the outer end of the arm A in relation thereto. By adjusting the set screw 34 the angle of inclination of the stem 11, carrying the cup' 12, may be varied as occasion may require to advance or retract the position of the suction cup 12 in relation to the vertical face of the sheets C. The levers connected with the suction cup are provided for the purpose of causing it to move in a-due line at right angles with the partition B and sheets C, and to cause it to pick up the ,first or top sheet when the sheet holder D is full, in exactly the same place as all succeeding sheets. By varying the speed of rotation of the shaft 20 and the cam 23, the sheets C may be picked up from the stack on the rack D and delivered to the plate F at any desired interval of time.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by rotating the shaft 20 the outer end of the arm A will be caused to travel from its lower,'innermost position upwardly and inwardly, thence back to its initial position .over approximately the same path on each rotation of theshaft 20.

lt is manifest that while I have described the apparatus as applied to a photo printing machine, it is equally applicable for use in other mechanisms where it is desirable to deliver' sheet material, one sheet at a time, at intervals.

Trlaving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a sheet conveyer, an arm, a member mounted to have vertical rocking movement, means to pivotally connect one end of said arm to said member whereby the arm may have horizontal reciprocatory movement on said pivot, an angularly disposed bracket adjustably connected to the opposite end of the arm, an element pivot-ally mounted on the bracket, a tubular stem adjustably connected to said element, a suction cup on the stem, a link connected at one end to said stem and at its opposite end to said member, a shouldered pin on said arm, a cam having a groove into which the pin extends and a raised `portion which engages with the shoulder of the pin, and means to create a vacuum in the tubular stem.

lin a sheet conveyer, an `arm, a member mounted to have vertical rocking movement, means to pivotally connect one end of said arm to said member' whereby the arm may have horizontal reciprocatory movement on said pivot, a suction cup pivotally connected to one end of the arm, a link in connection with said cup at one end, means to pivot` ally connect the opposite end o'f the link to said member., means carried by the second named means,v to limit the extent of movement of the link relative to said second named means, means to create a vacuum in the cup, and means to impart vertical and horizontally reciprocatory movement to the arm.

3. ln a sheet conveyer, an arm, a member mounted to have vertical rocking movement, means to pivotally connect one end of said arm to 'said member whereby the arm may have horizontal reciprocatory movement on said pivot, a suction cup pivotally connected` to one end ofthe arm, a spring tensioned being pivotally connected .to the angle of said right angular arm, means borne by the opposite end of the right angular arm to' adjustably engage the link, means to impart vertical and horizontal reciprocatory movement to the first named arm, and means to create a vacuum in said cup.

4. In a sheetconveyer, an arm, a suction cup movably connected to the outer end of said arm, a member to which the opposite end of the arm is pivoted, means to revolubly mount said member, a link having one end in connection with said cup, and means pivotally `connected to the opposite end of said link and to said member `to allow the link to initially move independently of said second mentioned means and about the pivotal connection between said link and second mentioned means and to then upon continued movement to cause the second mentioned means to move with the link and about the pivotal connection between said second mentioned means and member.

In a sheet conveyer, an arm, a member mounted to have vertical rocking movement, means to pivotally connect one end of said` arm to said member Whereby'the arm may have horizontal reciprocatory movement on said pvot, a suction cup movably connected to the opposite end of the arm, a link having one end in connection with said cup, a spring pressed element pivotally connected to the other end of the link and to said member, means to rock the arm vertically and horizontally, and means whereby saidl link after predetermined horizontal movement about vits said pivotal connection with said element will engage the element and move therewith about the pivotal connection of the element with. said member.

6. In a sheetv conveyer, a revoluble member, an arm pivoted thereto and having a suction cup on its free end, a cam having a groove and a -raised portion, and means on the arm to both engage in said groove and to also engage. with the raised portion of the cam to vertically and horizontally reciprocate said arm.

7. In a. sheet conveyer, a revoluble member, an arm pivoted thereto and having a suction cup on its free end, a cam having a groove and a raised portion, and a shouldered pincarried by said arm, said pin projecting in the cam groove and the shoulder thereof engaging the raised portion of the'cam to vertically and horizontally reciprocate said arm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- ARTHUR J. FREEMAN. IVitnesses:

NEWTON A.. JOHNSON, FRANK K. ljrrrrrr. 

